How Much Does It Cost to Open a Pool? [2025 Data]
The average homeowner sees pool opening costs of around $300. Most pay somewhere between $200 and $400, depending on the type of pool, pool size, and more.
Pool opening cost around $300, on average, but your total can fall anywhere between $100 and $500, depending on your pool size, filter and liner type, and more.
Opening a pool is a DIY-friendly job, but it’s time-intensive and requires some know-how to get the work done safely. As such, many homeowners turn to professionals for pool opening services and then carry out routine maintenance themselves. In this guide, we’ll explain pool opening service costs and the factors that affect your total.
Pool Opening Cost Factors
Hiring a professional for pool opening costs as little as $100 and up to $500, depending on a few different factors that influence your total.
Type of Pool
The type of pool you have—in-ground, above-ground, or partially in-ground—will affect your total costs.
In-ground pools are the most expensive to open because they are more time-consuming than other pool types. They tend to be larger, meaning they have bigger water pumps and filters, which take longer to clean and install.
They often have covers that are challenging and time-consuming to remove. They’re also more likely to have pool lights, which your professional will need to install prior to opening the pool.
The table below includes some average pricing for opening the different types of pools.
| Type of Pool | Pool Opening Cost |
|---|---|
| Aboveground | $175–$250 |
| In-ground | $250–$400 |
| Partial aboveground | $200–$300 |
Filter Type
Part of the pool opening procedure your professional will follow involves reinstalling the filter, which might require backwashing and cleaning, depending on your pool closing procedure.
Cartridge and sand filters are the easiest to clean and install, and they’re more popular than other types, so prices should sit around average. Diatomaceous earth (DE) filters require a more involved cleaning process and require additional safety equipment, so they can push your pool opening costs a little above the national average.
Saltwater pools can be a little more expensive than standard chlorine pools. You’ll save a bit on chemicals, but you’ll have the added expense of salt and additional labor to install your chlorinator.
| Filter Type | Pool Opening Cost |
|---|---|
| Cartridge | $250–$350 |
| Diatomaceous earth | $300–$450 |
| Salt | $250–$400 |
| Sand | $250–$350 |
Liner Type
Another part of your pool opening involves cleaning and vacuuming the pool walls and floor, and different types of liners can majorly impact the difficulty of that process.
For example, a concrete or gunite pool liner is porous and rough, so it can easily house algae and debris. Your pool professional will need to spend more time scrubbing the walls clean after filling the pool than they would on smooth, non-porous liner materials like vinyl or fiberglass. As such, labor costs will increase.
The table below includes a quick look at average pool opening costs based on the type of pool liner you have.
| Liner Type | Pool Opening Cost |
|---|---|
| Concrete/gunite | $300–$400 |
| Fiberglass | $250–$350 |
| Vinyl | $250–$350 |
Chemicals
Pool opening costs include a variety of chemicals, including algaecide, shock, pH balance chemicals, chlorine, chlorine stabilizer, alkalinity balance chemicals, and more. Most professional pool companies will include chemicals in their pool opening estimates. Still, they will often build in higher totals for larger pools, partly because they require more chemicals.
Pool Size
The size of your pool plays a significant role in your pool opening costs. Larger pools require more work for a few reasons, including:
Larger covers that take more time to remove
More lights, ladders, and other fixtures that take more time to reinstall
Larger and more complex filters, pumps, and heaters that take more time to prepare for use
Requiring more vacuuming and cleaning
Needing more water to fill your pool back up, which drives up material costs for water delivery or labor costs if your expert needs to wait around for it to fill using the hose
Requiring more chemicals to bring the levels into balance
Ongoing Pool Opening Costs
While you’ll need to budget around $300 to open your pool, you should also consider ongoing costs to maintain and run it throughout the summer. This can help avoid surprises when it comes time to hire local pool services again.
Maintenance
To keep your pool clean and in good working order, you’ll need to schedule regular maintenance about once every week. If you have a professional carry out all the work, pool maintenance costs will be between $100 and $300 per month, depending on the size of your pool, its type, the filter you have, tree coverage in your yard, and how often you use your pool.
Operating Costs
In addition to maintenance, you should budget for the cost of keeping your pool equipment up and running after opening. That includes electricity and fuel costs to keep the pumps and heaters running. These costs can vary, but the table below includes some average prices for standard pool sizes.
| Expense | Average Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Heater (Electric) | $175–$600 |
| Heater (Natural gas) | $200–$400 |
| Heater (Propane) | $200–$850 |
| Heater (Solar) | $0–$10 |
| Pumps | $30–$150 |
DIY Pool Opening vs. Hiring a Pro
All pool maintenance, including opening, is DIY-friendly for most homeowners. That being said, you still need to know how to open a pool successfully and safely. Opening a pool yourself will still come with some costs for chemicals, but you should only have to spend between $50 and $100. That means tackling this project yourself could save you between $200 and $250, on average.
However, opening a pool is a time-consuming process that will likely take you between 4 and 6 hours of active work. If you don’t have the time or are uncomfortable installing filters, turning your pool equipment on in the proper order, and testing your water quality, hiring a pool contractor is a good way to save time and ensure your pool is safe for you and your family to enjoy.
You can also hire a pool closing service at the end of the season to safely wrap away your pool for the offseason.
Cost of Common Pool Opening Add-Ons
Thankfully, pool opening costs aren’t wildly expensive, so you’ll likely have some additional room in your budget for add-on services. You might want to consider the following services alongside your pool opening.
Installing a pool heater: Pool heaters use a lot of electricity or fuel but can make your pool more comfortable and extend the time you get to enjoy your backyard oasis. Installing a pool heater costs around $3,000, on average, depending on the type and size of heater you want.
Converting your pool to saltwater: Looking for a pool that’s less abrasive on hair and skin? The cost to convert your pool to saltwater is around $1,000. This price can be offset over time by reduced maintenance and chemical costs.
Upgrading your pool’s safety: If you have children or pets, some pool safety equipment can be an invaluable add-on to consider. Things like pool alarms cost around $200, on average, but even prices on the higher end, around $400, are often justifiable.
Thinking about pool repairs: Prior to opening your pool and raising the water level, repairs might be a good idea and could be easier and more affordable to carry out. Pool repairs cost around $700, on average, but they can range from $80 up to $3,400, depending on the type of repair you need.
Exterior power washing: While you’re getting your backyard ready for summer, consider cleaning up the patio or deck surrounding your pool. Power washing a patio costs between $100 and $250 and can really elevate your outdoor space.
How to Save Money on Pool Opening Costs
Pool opening is a relatively affordable home improvement job, but there are a few things you can do to save money and bring down those costs even more.
Upgrade your pool cover. If you have a mesh cover over your pool, more debris will get into the water, which extends the time your pro will spend cleaning and vacuuming. Upgrade to a solid cover to reduce labor costs.
Install pool accessories yourself. Even if you’re not comfortable working with your filter or water pumps, you can save on labor costs by installing pool lights, diving boards, and ladders yourself.
Carry out the cleaning as a DIY project. You can also bring down labor costs by doing the vacuuming and liner cleaning yourself. This is a time-consuming process, but it’s straightforward, and you can still leave the equipment turn-on and water testing to your pro.
Fill the pool yourself. Your labor costs will go up if your pro needs to stay on-site while your pool fills or if they need to deliver water. You can save a bit on your total by offering to do the filling yourself using a hose.
Sign up for ongoing pool cleaning services. Many pool professionals will offer a deal on pool opening services if you also sign up for ongoing maintenance services throughout the summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you pay a professional for a pool opening service, it often includes cleaning, removing, and storing the pool cover, inspecting the pool equipment, reinstalling filters, heaters, pumps, lights, ladders, and other pool accessories, refilling the pool, turning on your pool equipment, cleaning and vacuuming the liner, and testing and balancing water quality and chemical levels.
In most cases, late May or early June are the most popular times to open a pool, depending on your location. It’s a good idea to open your pool when the outdoor temperature sits consistently above 65 to 70 degrees (F). At this point, algae will begin to flourish in your water, so opening the pool and adding the proper chemicals will avoid excessive pool algae growth.
It’s a good idea to wait at least 24 hours after opening your pool before you swim in it. Pool opening often involves shocking the water, and the chemical levels need to come down a bit before it’s safe to swim. You can continue testing your water pH and chlorine levels if you’re in a rush. It’s wise to wait until your chlorine levels drop to under four parts per million (ppm) and you have a water pH of between 7.2 and 7.8. You can artificially lower your water pH to speed up the process.
